"The ruling chavistas, led by President Nicolás Maduro, need a circus because there is no bread--and that's not a metaphor. At times in Venezuela, there really is no bread. Earlier this year there was, for a time, no toilet paper. Mr. Maduro knows he is in trouble."

This is Maduro's dilemma: Can you govern a country when people have no bread or toilet paper?

So far he has but don't bet on it!

P.S. We spoke with Fausta Wertz of Fausta's Blog about all of this on Wednesday's show.

President Maduro of Venezuela likes to say that he is in touch wih the late Hugo Chavez.

We hear that Chavez 'tweets" Maduro with suggestions and ideas, i.e. "the little Chavez bird." Maybe this is a Caracas version of Hillary Clinton having conversations with Eleanor Roosevelt.

Frankly, don't be shocked if Maduro takes a rifle and shoots "the little Chavez bird" the next time that he is flying around offering this or that.

Chavez is dead. However, inflation is alive is alive and hurting Venezuelans.

I just had a conversation with a friend in Caracas who said the following:

!) Venezuela is a creeping dictatorship. The Maduro government is squeezing out the opposition and making life very difficult for the free press;

2) He is concerned about Globovision, a TV network. He confirmed what Daniel Duquenal posted recently. There is nothing critical or objective in the Venezuela media anymore;

3) The opposition is afraid to publish blogs, go to Twitter and Facebook; and,

4) Inflation and prices are a big problem.

Overall, my friend is very disappointed and disillusioned. He is hoping that the lack of toilet paper and bread may bring about the demise of the government.

"The ruling chavistas, led by President Nicolás Maduro, need a circus because there is no bread--and that's not a metaphor. At times in Venezuela, there really is no bread. Earlier this year there was, for a time, no toilet paper. Mr. Maduro knows he is in trouble."

This is Maduro's dilemma: Can you govern a country when people have no bread or toilet paper?

So far he has but don't bet on it!

P.S. We spoke with Fausta Wertz of Fausta's Blog about all of this on Wednesday's show.